Strut for automatic sprinklers.



G. I. ROGKWOOD.

STRUT FOR AUTOMATIC SPRINKLERS. APPLICATION rrmm DEC. 11, 1908.

956,733. Patented May 3,1910.

[Mine-556,3 4

GEORGE I. BOOKWOOD, 0F WOMEBTEB, MASSACHUSETTS.

B'IIU'I FOR AUTOMATIC BPBINKLEBS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 3, 1910.

Application filed December 11, 1908. Serial No. 487,015.

To all whom it. may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonon I. Roonwoon, a citizen of the United States,residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and Commonwealth ofMassachusetts, have 1nvented a new and useful Improvement m Struts forAutomatic Spnnklers, of wh ch the following is a specification,accompanied by drawings forming a part of the same, m which Figure 1 isa top view of my improved strut. Fi 2 is a longitudinal sect-Ion on line2--2,%ig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 3-3, Fig. I, andFlg. 4 1s a slde View on a reduced scale of an automatic sprinkler,showing my improved strut in position.

Similar reference figures refer to similar parts in the different views.

My present invention relates to a brace or strut for an automaticsprinkler, comprising two pieces held together by fusible material andarranged to separate at a predetermined degree of heat, and has for oneofits objects to provide means for preventing the separation of saidpieces before the pre determined degree of heat has been reached, and itconsists in the construction and arrangement of parts as hereinafterdescnbed and pointed out in the annexed claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawm s, 1 and 2 denote the separablepieces of t e strut, arranged to form a part of an automatic sprinkler,as shown 1n Fig. 4, with the end 3 of the piece 1 arranged to engage oneend of a horizontal lever 4;, and with the end 5 of the piece 2 arrangedto engage a shoulder 6 of a vertical post 7, the other end of which post7 forms a fulcrum for the lever 4 as shown in Fi 4. This arrangement ofpost, strut and ever is well known in automatic sprinklers and forms nopart of my invention. The pieces 1 and 2 of the strut are held withtheir surfaces 8 and 9 in contact, by means of a block of fuslblematerial 10 in contact with the end 11 of the piece 1 and with thesurface 9 of the piece .2. Embedded in the fusible material is astaple12, having a ortion 18 parallel with and transverse to tl ie surface 9.At either end of the ortion 13 of the staple 12 arms 14 exten toward thesurface 9, and, passing throu h openin s 15 in the end 5 of the piece 2are out into looks 16, engaging the surface 17 of the piece 2.

The staple 12 is of relatively non-fusible material, and in theoperation of the device forms a secure attachment of the block 10 to thesurface 9 of the piece 5, as long as the fusible material remains intactand preserves its stillness. Inasmuch as the strain upon the strut is ina direction tending to separate the end 11 from the surface 9, and isresisted by the block 10 in contact with the end 11 and attached to thesurface 9 by the staple 12, as long as the block 10 is unaffected by thetemperature, the separation of the end 11 from the surface 9 isprevented. As soonas the degree of heat required to melt the block 10 isreached, the block 10 no longer ofiers resistance to the end 11 in itsmovement of separation from the surface 9, and it is no longer held infirm contact with the surface 9 bythe staple 12, and the end 11 quicklyflies away from the surface 9. It is, therefore, immaterial with regardto the separation of the pieces 1 and 2 whether the surfaces 8 and 9 areunited by fusible material or not; the pleces cannot separate until theproper degrce of heat to fuse the block 10 is reached, when the fusiblesolder would also he melted. The strut is thereby completely held fromseparating by the block 10 alone before said predetermined do w ree ofheat is reached. In no case is the ad esive quality of the solder, or ofany fusible material composmg the block 10, relied upon to prevent theseparation of the pieces 1 and 2, but the SUEHGSS or strength of thematerial 10 alone holds the end 11 of the piece 1 in contact with thesurface 9 of the plece 2, and the end 11 not released until the resistimquality of the block 10 is destroyed by tlie rising temperature. Whenthis happens, either the connection by the sta )le 12 with the piece 2is loosened, so as to re ease the end 11, or the shape of the block 10is otherwise changed by the force tendin to separate the end 11 and thepiece 2, wit the same result.

I claim,

1. A brace for an automatic sprinkler, comprising members arranged toseparate by a rocking movement of one member around the end of the othermember. but held from such separation by a block of fusible materialattached to the fulcrum member by a. nunfnsiblc means of attachmentbeyond the swinging end of the rocking member, said block of fusiblematerial arranged to iuclose said swinging end.

2. A brace for an automatic sprinkler,

sa in bl meanslof a,, ach

' b and a e A a ng and '9fi. h .mk r%m mbenie1P "ttheseparation of satmembers, sa d onfiisible"*means arranged beyond said winging=gend i n,order to exert no direct f6 e ng s fm vem nt11*,

i3.-A brace "tor an iautom t1c,. sprmkler, comprising separate membersbarmg surfaces incontact and arranged to separate by a rocking movementof-on'e gmember around theend of the other member, a blockof fuelbleginaterialcapable of being softened-by a predetermineddc 'ththe'outer si e. of the 'swmgmgendof "-ssaid rockin member oppositev to saldcontactin snr aces andnonfusible means of lattachln'g saidblock to saidfulcrum member beyond said swinging end.-

' i=4. Ajbrace for an automatic sprinkler, comprising 'members. arrangedto be sep- 'arated by-strain upon said brace, a block of lfilsiblematerial" arranged to contact with the outer sideof the swingingmember, and asta 1e. ofnonfusible materlal inclosed 1n said' lock withits ends attached to the stationary member.

,5. A brace for an automatic sprinkler comprising separate members havmsurfaces in contact arallel with the 1me of v ,;,"strain upon said race,a block of fuslble material in contact with the contacting surface ofone member and arranged to contact with the outer side of the othermember parallel with said contacting surfaces, and a mamas-setw th, th

es of heat in contact stablec,f nonfusible material passing be through.said block with its 'ends attached to said first member.

6.. A, brace ior'an automatlc sn-inkler, comprxsln members arranged to esepaigated byte strain on said brace, but held from such separation by ablock of fusible material arranged to contact with'the outer side of onemember and attached to the other member by nonfusible means, saidnonfusible means entirely inclosed in said fusible block, whereby saidnonfusible means is protected from corrosion.

7 A brace for an automatic 5 rinklcr, com risinl members arranged toeseparate by t e strainon said brace, but held fromsuch separationby ablock of fusible material arranged to contact with the outer side of theend of one member andattached to the plane surface of the other memberbeyond said end "by nonfusible means, said means entirely embedded insaid block to prevent corrosion.

8. A brace for an automatic sprinkler, comprisin members arranged to beseparated by t estrain on said brace, but held from such separation by ablock of fusible material attached to the plane'snrface of one member bynonfusible means of attachment approximately corresponding in width tosald member, said block inclosing the end of the other member and aproximately semiglobular in shape to inc ose said means of attachment.

GEORGE I. ROGKWOOD.

